Confirming satisfaction as an attitude within the service‐buying process

This paper presents research that uses cognitive and affective semantic differential scales to construct an attitude measuring instrument to be used in the services domain in the context of long applications to buy a service. The scales measure ‘Attitude to the Application Process’ (AAP) which represents satisfaction, as an internal ‘buying process’ attitude, which moderates the buying intention. Data collected over a three‐year period between 1996‐9, was analysed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. The results provide evidence of a robust and useful cognitive scale. Although there were anomalies in the exploratory and confirmatory analysis of the affective scale, a robust scale is presented which represents either one or two factors. The whole measuring instrument of 14 items was developed as a means to access applicant attitudes during the application process to university — an extended and extreme application situation for first‐time consumers. The results identify that the instrument is sound and can be used in its original or modified form, depending on the context of the service‐process monitoring situation. The scales represent aspects of attitude not dealt with extensively in the literature and measure the perception of the application process as simple, open, friendly and helpful. These aspects of satisfaction mirror three attributes of service quality: assurance, responsiveness and empathy identified in previous research. Copyright © 2001 Henry Stewart Publications.     

Mechanisms and the Evidence Hierarchy

Evidence-based medicine (EBM) makes use of explicit procedures for grading evidence for causal claims. Normally, these procedures categorise evidence of correlation produced by statistical trials as better evidence for a causal claim than evidence of mechanisms produced by other methods. We argue, in contrast, that evidence of mechanisms needs to be viewed as complementary to, rather than inferior to, evidence of correlation. In this paper we first set out the case for treating evidence of mechanisms alongside evidence of correlation in explicit protocols for evaluating evidence. Next we provide case studies which exemplify the ways in which evidence of mechanisms complements evidence of correlation in practice. Finally, we put forward some general considerations as to how the two sorts of evidence can be more closely integrated by EBM.     

Predicting Substance Abuse Relapse: The Role of Social Interest and Social Bonding

Substance abuse relapse has been linked to a number of internal and external vulnerability factors. The authors explored the internal construct of Adlerian social interest (Adler, 1956 ) and the external construct of Hirschi's ( 1969 ) social bonding to provide a holistic risk profile of relapse.     

Crossmodal interactions in the perception of expressivity in musical performance

In musical performance, bodily gestures play an important role in communicating expressive intentions to audiences. Although previous studies have demonstrated that visual information can have an effect on the perceived expressivity of musical performances, the investigation of audiovisual interactions has been held back by the technical difficulties associated with the generation of controlled, mismatching stimuli. With the present study, we aimed to address this issue by utilizing a novel method in order to generate controlled, balanced stimuli that comprised both matching and mismatching bimodal combinations of different expressive intentions. The aim of Experiment 1 was to investigate the relative contributions of auditory and visual kinematic cues in the perceived expressivity of piano performances, and in Experiment 2 we explored possible crossmodal interactions in the perception of auditory and visual expressivity. The results revealed that although both auditory and visual kinematic cues contribute significantly to the perception of overall expressivity, the effect of visual kinematic cues appears to be somewhat stronger. These results also provide preliminary evidence of crossmodal interactions in the perception of auditory and visual expressivity. In certain performance conditions, visual cues had an effect on the ratings of auditory expressivity, and auditory cues had a small effect on the ratings of visual expressivity.     

Analysis of physical abuse in American schools

This study examined variables included in press reports of excessive infiction of pain on school children over the past ten years. Cross-tabulations were used to examine the relationship between severe corporal punishment with sex of educator, sex of pupil, nature of infraction, severity of punishment, job position of staff member, and age of student. The results indicate that severe corporal punishment is most often administered by males to boys. The frequency steadily increased to 12 or 13 years of age and then decreased. There was no relation between type of misbehavior and severity of punishment. Tentative clinical and educational implications of the study are discussed.     

Moderating effects of harasser status and target gender on the relationship between unwanted sexual attention and overall job satisfaction

Despite a vast body of literature evidencing the negative effects of workplace sexual harassment it remains unclear whether sexual harassment experienced by the target is worse when the harasser is a supervisor, rather than a coworker. With a scenario‐based experimental study we examined whether targets harassed by their supervisor would experience greater decreases in overall job satisfaction than those targeted by a coworker. Results suggested that harasser status moderated the effects of sexual harassment on overall job satisfaction but only for female targets. Further, the effect of supervisor harassment on job satisfaction was mediated by interpersonal justice perceptions.     

Constructing Sexuality: A Theory of Stability and Fluidity

Theories of human sexuality often rely on bio-evolutionary factors to explain sexual desire and development. Theories that do focus on socio-cultural factors tend to provide limited explanation of individual psychological underpinnings of sexual desire and behaviour. This paper presents an alternative, psychosocial account based on personal construct theory. The role of experience, including the active and constant interpretation of both external and internal events, is afforded a central role. Choice is recognized also as important but only in a channelized or limited manner. Although empirical support is very limited at this point in time, we believe that this theory represents a compelling and testable account of sexual desire and development.